Eleanor
October 8, 1914 - November 22, 2006
My mother finally said goodbye. She had/has a magical spirit and loved life even when the days were dark and times were hard. I love you Eleanor.
Today I imagined you sitting on the couch talking to me... remembering those better times.
Why have I been drawing my mom these past five years? Because... well, I didn't know what else to do. Drawing is a form of paying attention that doesn't judge. You stop asking so many questions and just observe.
Still up for fun -- winning at bingo.
Late October, my mom turns inward, towards her true home.
November 22, 8 am -- gone.
17 comments:
So moving, I´m really touched by your drawings. I´m so sorry for your loss.
Somehow I can´t help but thinking it takes a bit of courage to draw your mom through the last period of her life, I´m in awe of these very warm, personal and unusual drawings. They are not something I could quickly browse through and then leave and forget. They will be stuck in my mind for a while. Thank you for sharing.
Oh Julie! I am so touched!! I'm so sorry for your loss, but so blessed from your sharing. Your sketches of your mother's final months are beyond amazing. Thank you!!
Such wonderful sketches, my mother is 94 and we are at the nursing home and now gradually seeing her go down hill.I havent the courage to sketch her, i wish I did but my sketching of people isnt as good as yours. thank you for the glimpse of your mother.
Julie, I'm so sorry for your loss - but what a blessing to be able to spend such time in deep observation of your mother and her life. Your sketches are powerful and personal and have touched me profoundly. Thank you for sharing such tremendously intimate drawings.
Julie, I'm so sorry for your loss - but what a blessing to be able to spend such time in deep observation of your mother and her life. Your sketches are powerful and personal and have touched me profoundly. Thank you for sharing such tremendously intimate drawings.
I am sitting here with tears on my cheeks -- what a moving, gentle, tender, and loving tribute to a woman who must have been a wonderfl mother and friend, especially to have such an endearing daughter. My deepest sympathy for your love, and prayers for healing and fond memories....
I'm so sorry to read about your loss, and understand why it would take a couple of months to be able to share your final drawings and thoughts in this way. It sounds like you were very very fortunate to have a wonderful mother, and she was very very blessed to have such an attentive and loving daughter.
Thank you for sharing these - they are all so beautiful - I am taking this same journey with my mother, in mental and physical decline with Parkinson's. Sketching her is a satisfying activity for both of us.
Oh my g*d, your drawings are so moving, so real somehow. *hugs*
Gosh Julie! Firstly, I too am sorry to hear of your loss. I too am sitting here with tears in my eyes. I too understand why you haven't posted for some time. I don't know what I can add to what others have said. These drawings are moving, intimate, sensitive, powerful, touching and really really beautiful. I completely agree with Nina - I will not forget these drawings in a hurry. Thank you.
Gosh Julie! Firstly, I too am sorry to hear of your loss. I too am sitting here with tears in my eyes. I too understand why you haven't posted for some time. I don't know what I can add to what others have said. These drawings are moving, intimate, sensitive, powerful, touching and really really beautiful. I completely agree with Nina - I will not forget these drawings in a hurry. Thank you.
Julie, this is a beautiful blog. I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing these drawings with us.
Julie, I don't know when I've been more moved by a story and images as I have by these of yours. Your voice and your drawings are powerful manifestations of your love of and care for your mother. Please accept my sincere condolences.
Your drawings sre powerful, very moving and utterly beautiful. You've captured the dignity and pride in these old people and beauty. I am so sorry for your loss, but so glad you shared it with us.
MD
I'm sorry for your loss Julie, but so touched by your drawings. They are very beautiful and I'm sure making them helped you to cherish each moment.
Hi Julie,
I happened upon your blog tonight. You have opened my eyes. My mom died a year ago. She must have been of the same stock as yours. Independent, vibrant, beautiful. I wanted to turn away from seeing the changes. But you fully embrace them here. The key, I guess, is the thing you wrote about drawing as observation. No judgement.
I experienced my mother's death as something really beautiful, something almost as miraculous as birth. But I didn't have the wisdom to observe the same way you did.
May her memory be a blessing for you as you walk through the empty desert of grief.
It's a bit over a year now - I hope you are OK Julie. Every now and again, I stop by to see if you are sketching again - perhaps you have moved on to other things - or even a new blog. You have such a talent for expressively catching the moment... Alison
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